D10-D19

Slav Defense

52 named lines in this family, ECO D10-D19. Every one of them opens 1. d4 d5, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.

The moves every line here plays

1. d4 d5

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... d5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e4, and frees the bishop and queen.

Main line, through 2... c6D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6

...c6 defends d5 WITHOUT locking in the c8-bishop - the point of the whole system; Black develops it to f5 or g4 before playing ...e6.

• 2. c4 Challenges the pawn on d5 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the Queen's Gambit: development and initiative over material.
• 2... c6 Fights for d5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Slav Defense.

Diemer GambitD10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e4

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Exchange Variation, after 3. cxd5D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the d-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. White has doubled pawns on the d-file.

Main line, after 3. Nc3, through 3. Nc3D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3

Main line, after 3. Nc3, through 3... dxc4D10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 dxc4

Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Winawer CountergambitD10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e5

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Slav Gambit, Alekhine AttackD10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. e4

Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.

Winawer Countergambit, Anti-Winawer GambitD10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 e5 4. e4

Exchange Variation, Boor AttackD10

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. f3

The c-file is fully open.

Modern Line, after 2. c4, through 3. Nf3D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3

Bonet GambitD11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bg5

Breyer VariationD11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nbd2

Quiet VariationD11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3

Quiet Variation, Pin DefenseD11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bg4

Modern Line, after 2. c4, through 5... g6D11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 dxc4 5. Bg2 g6

White's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Modern Line, after 2. c4, through 6. O-OD11

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bg4 5. Bg2 e6 6. O-O

Modern Line, after 2. Nf3, through 6. c4D11

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 c6 4. Bg2 Bg4 5. O-O Nbd7 6. c4

• 2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the d4 pawn. Theory calls this the Zukertort Variation.
• 2... Nf6 Develops the knight to f6, eyeing d5 and e4. It also props up the d5 pawn. Theory calls this the Symmetrical Variation.

Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defense, through 4... Bf5D12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5

Quiet Variation, Schallopp Defense, after 5. Nc3D12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. Nc3 e6

Quiet Variation, Amsterdam VariationD12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nc3 e6 7. Ne5 Nfd7

Quiet Variation, Landau VariationD12

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Qb3 Qc8 7. Bd2 e6 8. Na3

Exchange Variation, after 3. Nf3D13

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5

Exchange Variation, Schallopp VariationD13

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 Bf5 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nc3

Exchange Variation, Symmetrical LineD14

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5

Exchange Variation, Trifunovic VariationD14

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. cxd5 cxd5 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Bf5 7. e3 e6 8. Qb3 Bb4

White's knight on c3 is pinned against the king.

Three Knights VariationD15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3

Chebanenko Variation, through 4... a6D15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6

Schlechter VariationD15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 g6

Süchting VariationD15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qb6

Two Knights AttackD15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4

Alekhine VariationD15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3

Chebanenko Variation, Advance SystemD15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. c5

Geller Gambit, through 5. e4D15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4

Chebanenko Variation, after 5. e3D15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 a6 5. e3 Bf5

Geller Gambit, after 5... b5D15

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. e5

Alapin VariationD16

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4

Smyslov VariationD16

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Na6

Soultanbeieff VariationD16

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 e6

Steiner VariationD16

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bg4

Czech VariationD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5

Czech Variation, Bled AttackD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Nh4

Czech Variation, Krause AttackD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5

Czech Variation, Wiesbaden VariationD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6

Black has doubled pawns on the c-file.

Czech Variation, Krause Attack, Fazekas GambitD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Na6 7. e4

Czech Variation, Wiesbaden Variation, Sharp LineD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 e6 7. f3 Bb4 8. e4

Czech Variation, Carlsbad VariationD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5

Czech Variation, Carlsbad Variation, Morozevich VariationD17

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. Ne5 Nbd7 7. Nxc4 Qc7 8. g3 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Bf4 Nfd7 11. Bg2 g5

An early pawn trade leaves the c-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Czech Variation, Classical SystemD18

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3

Czech Variation, Lasker VariationD18

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 Na6

Czech Variation, Dutch VariationD19

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O

Czech Variation, Classical System, Main LineD19

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2

Czech Variation, Dutch Variation, Sämisch VariationD19

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bf5 6. e3 e6 7. Bxc4 Bb4 8. O-O O-O 9. Qe2 Ne4 10. g4

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